COMPOSITE COMPONENT HAVING ANGLED BRAZE JOINT, COUPON BRAZING METHOD AND RELATED STORAGE MEDIUM
Various aspects include a composite component (also known as a Shear Enabled Regionally Engineered Facet (SEREF)) and methods of forming such a component. In some cases, a method includes: forming a slot in a main body of a metal alloy component, the slot extending at least partially through a wall of the metal alloy component, the forming of the slot including forming an angled main body interface in the wall of the metal alloy component; forming a coupon for coupling with the slot in the metal alloy component, the coupon having an angled coupon interface complementing the angled main body interface; and brazing the coupon to the main body at the slot to form a composite component.
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to manufacturing and repair of components. More specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to approaches of manufacturing and/or repairing components using brazing techniques.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMetal alloys can be particularly useful in industrial applications. For example, metal alloys are commonly used to form components within industrial machinery subjected to high temperatures, pressures and/or stresses over extended periods. Systems such as turbomachines, dynamoelectric machines, fuel flow systems, aviation systems, etc. employ metal alloys in their parts. During the lifespan of these systems, components may require maintenance and/or repair, which may present particular challenges in the case of metal alloys. For example, brittle metal alloys or high-gamma prime alloys can be structurally compromised when subject to particular types of heat treatment such as welding. This can make repair and maintenance of components formed from these alloys particularly challenging. Additionally, forming composite parts with these types of alloys can be disadvantageous.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONVarious aspects of the disclosure include a composite component and methods of forming such a component. In a first aspect, a method includes: forming a slot in a main body of a metal alloy component, the slot extending at least partially through a wall of the metal alloy component, the forming of the slot including forming an angled main body interface in the wall of the metal alloy component; forming a coupon for coupling with the slot in the metal alloy component, the coupon having an angled coupon interface complementing the angled main body interface; and brazing the coupon to the main body at the slot to form a composite component.
A second aspect of the disclosure includes a composite component having: a metal alloy component including a main body, the main body having: a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and a slot extending at least partially through the wall, the slot including an angled main body interface in the wall; a coupon coupled with the slot, the coupon having an angled coupon interface complementing the angled main body interface, wherein the coupon has a larger diameter (LD) spanning the slot across the outer surface of the main body; and a smaller diameter (SD) spanning the slot across an inner surface of the main body, wherein the LD is defined by: LD=((2*Z)/tan α)+SD, wherein Z=a thickness of the wall and α=an angle of the angled main body interface and the angled coupon interface, as measured from a plane coincident with the outer surface of the main body; and a braze joint coupling the coupon to the main body at the slot.
A third aspect of the disclosure includes a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing code representative of at least a portion of a composite component, the at least a portion of the composite component physically generated upon execution of the code by a computerized additive manufacturing system, the code including: code representing at least the portion of the composite component, the composite component including: a metal alloy component including a main body, the main body having: a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and a slot extending at least partially through the wall, the slot including an angled main body interface in the wall; a coupon coupled with the slot, the coupon having an angled coupon interface complementing the angled main body interface, wherein the coupon has a larger diameter (LD) spanning the slot across the outer surface of the main body; and a smaller diameter (SD) spanning the slot across an inner surface of the main body, wherein the LD is defined by: LD=((2*Z)/tan α)+SD wherein Z=a thickness of the wall and α=an angle of the angled main body interface and the angled coupon interface, as measured from a plane coincident with the outer surface of the main body; and a braze joint coupling the coupon to the main body at the slot.
These and other features of this disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various embodiments of the disclosure, in which:
It is noted that the drawings of the disclosure are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the disclosure, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the disclosure. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe subject matter disclosed herein relates to manufacturing and/or repair. More specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to approaches for forming composite components including metal alloys, also known as Shear Enabled Regionally Engineered Facets (SEREF).
In contrast to conventional approaches, various aspects of the disclosure include a composite metal component, and methods of forming such a component. In various embodiments, the composite metal component has a main body and a coupon filling a slot in the main body, and the interface between the main body and the coupon is an angled braze joint. The angled interface between the main body and the coupon, as opposed to a substantially normal interface in conventional composite components, can transfer the tensile stress applied at that interface to predominately shear stress. The composition of metal alloys, in particular, high-gamma prime alloys or other brittle alloys, gives these materials significantly greater shearing strength than tensile strength. As such, these composite components may be stronger than conventional composite components formed with normal braze joints between a main body and a coupon.
In some particular cases, the angle of the interface between the main body and the coupon is approximately 10-25 degrees (measured from surface plane), but could be up to 50 or 60 degrees in some cases. In other embodiments, the angle of the interface between the main body and the coupon is approximately 25-35 degrees, and in other cases it is between approximately 35-45 degrees. In various embodiments, the angle of the interface between the main body and the coupon is defined by an equation which accounts for the surface area of the interface, the angle of the interface, and the thickness of the wall of the main body and the coupon proximate the joint.
In various embodiments, the composite component can include a refurbished component, e.g., where the main body is an original part having gone through field use and the coupon is a replacement portion of the component. In other cases, the composite component can include two original parts (either having gone through field use, or not) joined at an interface, and in other cases, the composite component can include two replacement parts joined at an interface.
In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part thereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the present teachings may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present teachings and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present teachings. The following description is, therefore, merely illustrative.
With reference to
With continuing reference to
Composite component 30 can also include coupon 20 coupled with slot 90, where coupon 20 has an angled coupon interface (face) 110 that complements angled main body interface 100. Angled coupon interface (face) 110 can span between an outer surface 120 and an inner surface 130 of coupon 20. In various embodiments, the angle of angled coupon interface 110 is equal or approximately (e.g., within margin of measurement error) equal with the angle of angled main body interface 100, both referred to as angle (α), as measured from a plane (P) coincident with outer surface 80 of main body 50. As shown in
LD=((2*Z)/tan α)+SD (Equation 1)
Wherein Z=a thickness of wall 60. In some cases, angle (α) is between approximately 10 degrees and approximately 60 degrees. However, in other particular embodiments, angle (α) is between approximately 10 degrees and approximately 25 degrees. In other cases, angle (α) is between approximately 25-35 degrees, and in other cases angle (α) is between approximately 35-45 degrees. As noted herein, the angle (α) is designed for these particular metal alloys such that proximate braze joint 40, angled main body interface 100 and angled coupon interface 110 are configured to bear a predominately shear stress in response to application of tension on composite component 30. In some cases, composite component 30 can include a turbomachine component, such as a combustion component or a gas or steam turbine component.
Process P1: forming slot 90 in main body 50 of a metal alloy component 10, where slot 90 is formed to extend at least partially through wall 60 (
Process P2: forming coupon 20 for coupling with slot 90 in metal alloy component 10, where coupon 20 is formed having angled coupon interface 110 that complements angled main body interface 100 in metal alloy component 10 (coupon 20 shown in
Process P3: after forming coupon 20 and slot 90, this process can include brazing coupon 20 to main body 50 at slot 90 to form composite component 30 (
In some particular cases, after forming composite component 30, an additional process can include performing a hot isostatic pressure (HIP) heat treatment (HT) on composite component 30. This HIP HT can occur after brazing coupon 20 to main body 50 at slot 90. This HIP HT can include any conventional HIP process known in the art, including the use of an inert gas (e.g., argon) at an elevated temperature (e.g., up to approximately 1,400 degrees C.) and pressure (e.g., up to approximately 300 mega-pascals (MPa)) to reduce the porosity/increase the density of composite component 30.
It is understood that the processes described herein can be performed in any order, and that some processes may be omitted, without departing from the spirit of the disclosure described herein.
While the embodiment of composite component 30 in
In additional embodiments, forming slot 90 in main body 50 can include forming one or more slots 90 from two distinct directions through wall 60. That is, in various embodiments, one or more slots 90 may be formed in main body 50 (as described herein) from one or more surfaces (e.g., inner surface 70, outer surface 80). For example, as shown in the schematic depiction of a metal alloy component 210 in
One or more portions of composite component 30 (
To illustrate an example of an additive manufacturing process,
AM control system 904 is shown implemented on computer 930 as computer program code. To this extent, computer 930 is shown including a memory 932, a processor 934, an input/output (I/O) interface 936, and a bus 938. Further, computer 930 is shown in communication with an external I/O device/resource 940 and a storage system 942. In general, processor 934 executes computer program code, such as AM control system 904, that is stored in memory 932 and/or storage system 942 under instructions from code 920 representative of at least a portion of composite component 30 (
Additive manufacturing processes begin with a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (e.g., memory 932, storage system 942, etc.) storing code 920 representative of at least a portion of composite component 30 (
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
Claims
1. A method comprising:
- forming a slot in a main body of a metal alloy component, the slot extending at least partially through a wall of the metal alloy component, the forming of the slot including forming an angled main body interface in the wall of the metal alloy component;
- forming a coupon for coupling with the slot in the metal alloy component, the coupon having an angled coupon interface complementing the angled main body interface; and
- brazing the coupon to the main body at the slot to form a composite component.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal alloy component includes a high-gamma prime alloy or a brittle alloy including: René 125, René 80, René N5, René N4, René 108, GTD-111, GTD-444, Inconel (IN) 738, IN792, MAR-M200, MAR-M247, CMSX-3, CMSX-4, PWA1480, PWA1483, or PWA1484.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal alloy component is a previously commissioned component exposed to operation within a machine.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the angled main body interface and the angled coupon interface have an angle between approximately 10 degrees and approximately 45 degrees, as measured from a plane coincident with an outer surface of the main body.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the angled main body interface and the angled coupon interface have an angle between approximately 10 degrees and approximately 25 degrees, as measured from a plane coincident with an outer surface of the main body.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming of the slot in the main body includes cutting the metal alloy component, and wherein forming the coupon includes casting or additively manufacturing the coupon.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the main body has an outer surface, and the coupon has:
- a larger diameter (LD) spanning the slot across the outer surface of the main body; and
- a smaller diameter (SD) spanning the slot across an inner surface of the main body, wherein the LD is defined by: LD=((2*Z)/tan α)+SD
- wherein Z=a thickness of the wall and α=an angle of the angled main body interface and the angled coupon interface, as measured relative to a plane coincident with the outer surface of the main body.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the angled main body interface and the angled coupon interface are configured to bear a predominately shear stress in response to application of tension on the composite component.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the composite component includes a turbomachine component.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the coupon includes the metal alloy or a distinct metal alloy from the metal alloy of the metal alloy component.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a hot isostatic pressure (HIP) heat treatment (HT) on the composite component after the brazing.
12. A composite component comprising:
- a metal alloy component including a main body, the main body having: a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and a slot extending at least partially through the wall, the slot including an angled main body interface in the wall;
- a coupon coupled with the slot, the coupon having an angled coupon interface complementing the angled main body interface, wherein the coupon has a larger diameter (LD) spanning the slot across the outer surface of the main body; and a smaller diameter (SD) spanning the slot across an inner surface of the main body, wherein the LD is defined by: LD=((2*Z)/tan α)+SD
- wherein Z=a thickness of the wall and α=an angle of the angled main body interface and the angled coupon interface, as measured from a plane coincident with the outer surface of the main body; and
- a braze joint coupling the coupon to the main body at the slot.
13. The composite component of claim 12, wherein the metal alloy component includes a high-gamma prime alloy or a brittle alloy including: René 125, René 80, René N5, René N4, René 108, GTD-111, GTD-444, Inconel (IN) 738, IN792, MAR-M200, MAR-M247, CMSX-3, CMSX-4, PWA1480, PWA1483, or PWA1484.
14. The composite component of claim 12, wherein the angle a is between approximately 10 degrees and approximately 45 degrees, as measured from the plane coincident with the outer surface of the main body.
15. The composite component of claim 12, wherein the angle a is between approximately 10 degrees and approximately 25 degrees, as measured from the plane coincident with the outer surface of the main body.
16. The composite component of claim 12, wherein the angled main body interface and the angled coupon interface are configured to bear a predominately shear stress in response to application of tension on the composite component.
17. The composite component of claim 12, wherein the composite component includes a turbomachine component.
18. The composite component of claim 12, wherein the coupon includes the metal alloy or a distinct metal alloy from the metal alloy of the metal alloy component.
19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing code representative of at least a portion of a composite component, the at least a portion of the composite component physically generated upon execution of the code by a computerized additive manufacturing system, the code comprising:
- code representing at least the portion of the composite component, the composite component including: a metal alloy component including a main body, the main body having: a wall having an inner surface and an outer surface; and a slot extending at least partially through the wall, the slot including an angled main body interface in the wall; a coupon coupled with the slot, the coupon having an angled coupon interface complementing the angled main body interface, wherein the coupon has a larger diameter (LD) spanning the slot across the outer surface of the main body; and a smaller diameter (SD) spanning the slot across an inner surface of the main body, wherein the LD is defined by: LD=((2*Z)/tan α)+SD
- wherein Z=a thickness of the wall and α=an angle of the angled main body interface and the angled coupon interface, as measured from a plane coincident with the outer surface of the main body; and
- a braze joint coupling the coupon to the main body at the slot.
20. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein in the case that the code represents the coupon, the computerized additive manufacturing system physically generates the coupon upon execution of the code, or wherein in the case that the code represents the metal alloy component, the computerized additive manufacturing system physically generates the metal alloy component upon execution of the code.
Type: Application
Filed: May 25, 2017
Publication Date: Nov 29, 2018
Patent Grant number: 10456849
Inventors: Cem Murat Eminoglu (Simpsonville, SC), Paul Stephen DiMascio (Greer, SC)
Application Number: 15/605,294